“Don’t Gamble With Your Business!” - New Business Feasibility Study Workbook
Posted on April 22, 2008
Filed Under Feasibility Study, Analysis & Reports | 3 Comments
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You don’t realize it yet, but in the next two minutes you’re going to learn how to save your business before you start.
Picture yourself with a guide to accurately assessing market potential for a new business or product?
Just suppose you could ascertain the financial viability of a new venture… before you risked any money!
What if you had a step-by-step, follow-the-numbers guide that showed you exactly how to go about a feasibility study?
Imagine what it would be like if you could eliminate the uncertainty of not knowing what to do next?
“Don’t Gamble With Your Business!” is a combination workbook, toolset and feasibility report template that leads you from A to Z through the entire process of working out what alternatives to examine, researching the different business models or products, analysing their strengths and weaknesses, and determining which businesses to pursue. It even gives you a template to use, and refers back to the questions you answered in your research process to show you exactly what to do - it is a workbook version of “plug and play” 
Are you beginning to see that if you are in the market for some tools to save you time and money, you need to buy this book!
Popularity: 51% [?]
“Don’t Gamble With Your Business” - New Business Feasibility Study Workbook
Posted on April 21, 2008
Filed Under Feasibility Study, Analysis & Reports | Leave a Comment
- 24 Hour Subscriber Sale -
“How to Accurately Assess The Market Potential,
How To Ascertain The Financial Viability,
And How To Decide Priorities Of Different Feasibility Criteria
For Any New Business”
It’s FINALLY ready … it’s been more than three years that our readers have been asking us to show them how to undertake a New Business Feasibility Study.
It’s been three years since we started writing the tools.
And now we are going to break our silence and “spill the beans” to show you how to identify and assess the market, financial and operational feasibility.
But unless you are on our subscriber list, you can’t get it until tomorrow 12.01am GMT, Tuesday 22nd April.
See what some of our readers are saying about ReadyPlanning tools - some of which are integrated into the workbook!
“Excellent checklist which gets the mind thinking.”
Ivan O’Riordan, Limerick, Ireland“Great work you’re doing over there. [These tools] will be useful for the small company I wish to run with a couple of my friends.”
Name Withheld, Africa
(It really is worth joining our subscriber list and purchasing today - there are some wicked bonuses that could save you $375.00!)
Otherwise, see you here tomorrow for the Public Launch!
Popularity: 48% [?]
Project Feasibility Report Template from Method123
Posted on April 15, 2008
Filed Under Feasibility Study, Analysis & Reports | Leave a Comment
Feasibility reports, like business plans, can differ in structure and content depending on the purpose of the document. Unfortunately that can make the learning curve feel rather steep the first time you approach the task. When there is no hard and fast rule, how do you know what is a good example and what is inadequate?
Not only that, but … how do you know that the product on sale is going to be adequate for your needs? This is especially difficult with information products available online because you can’t pick the product up off the shelf and inspect it.
That’s why I decided to review the Method123 Project Feasibility Template that you may have seen. I feel that it is important for my readers to have a good idea of whether this is a product they want to purchase or not. Of course, Method123 have a good description of the product on their site; but I thought my readers might like another opinion.
The template can be purchased and downloaded by itself, or as a part of the Project Management Kit and the Project Management Methodology & Process Kit.
The template itself is a 12 page Word document, with layout already set up. Headers and graphics are automatically in the template, but can be removed if desired.
- The first page is a cover page
- The second page is a document control page, with tables set up for document identification (author, id, issue date, and so on), version tracking, and a sign off sheet for the most likely responsible parties.
- Next is a dynamic contents page that will insert/adjust the appropriate page numbers as you add information to the document.
- At this stage the document includes a page of general information about feasibility studies - what they should include, when it should be used, and how to use the template itself.
- Then the template begins the report proper, with headings, subheadings and brief description of what information should be entered in each section.
- Under the Feasibility Assessment heading, a helpful flowchart is provided illustrating the process that should be followed to ensure an objective study. Then the template outlines points that should be included under the subheadings of Option 1: description, assessment, results, risks, issues and assumptions. Under risks, issues and assumptions a few generic points are listed, with suggested likelihood, impact and mitigating actions. The tables can easily be extended for the writer to input project specific data. The template includes space for three alternatives, but could easily be extended by copy/pasting those headings underneath, or shortened by deleting them of course.
- Then the template leads the writer through a Feasibility Ranking process (which in other places I have called Feasibility Analysis), and uses a matrix similar to the Feasibility Analysis Matrix available for download here at ReadyPlanning.com
- Finally a section for conclusions about the most appropriate alternative is provided, and then a prompting for supporting documents to be included in an appendix.
Is there anything it doesn’t do? Well, it doesn’t include a section for analysis of financial information, and consequently has nothing to say about what data might be included. Nor does it specifically outline technical or operational concerns, although there is certainly opportunity within the template for that information to be included. Market research is mentioned, and again there is space for that information to be included, but there is little in the way of detailed suggestions of data to research and include. In this template, all of this information would have been researched and included in appendices, which is a reasonable structure, shortening the report to only include the discussion of feasibility per se in the body of the report, while still including the research data for verification.
So … is it worth the $9.95? Well, given that the price really is not overly expensive, it may be worth purchasing for a general guide of how to present the final report. The overall layout is easy on the eyes, attractive in its simplicity. The content is a good general guide without being exhaustive in detail or instructions. If you would like to see an example of a real feasibility report structure that is going to result in a concise report of the situation, I would recommend purchasing the document. However, if you are after a document to lead you through the process of researching the market, considering technological, operational and logistical needs and assets, and preparing financial forecasts and analysis, this template is not going to give you the assistance you require. You need to consider the Project Management Kit or the Project Management Methodology & Process Kit, or other specifically targeted solutions.
(NOTE: In the interests of transparency, I feel it is important to let you know that I am an affiliate of Method123 - that is, they pay me a commission if you buy through my site.)
Popularity: 100% [?]
Typical Feasibility Study Process - Government Projects
Posted on April 15, 2008
Filed Under Feasibility Study, Analysis & Reports | Leave a Comment
The following summarizes a typical feasibility study process for a government department project. Government projects differ only in that community consultation is usually mandated. Large projects being undertaken by private enterprises may benefit from involving the community as well - this process works equally well for them.
Phase 1 Project Development:
Identify stakeholders, develop a steering committee, produce a terms of reference, hire a feasibility planning consultant if necessary, determine the study process timeline and milestones, develop task teams, clarify roles and responsibilities, and determine how the team will communicate.
Phase 2 Background Research:
Collect data, trends analysis, market analysis, community demographics profile, identify issues and opportunities related to the service or project being considered.
Phase 3 Community Consultation:
Undertake a community needs assessment through focus groups, forums, surveys. Hire market research experts if required.
Phase 4 Service Concept Development:
Develop service concept and format, resource requirements, capital requirements, service delivery alternatives, financial strategies.
Phase 5 Community Consultation and Market Testing:
Obtain input on service concept and format, delivery alternatives, costing and pricing strategies. Focus groups, surveys, forums.
Phase 6 Final Recommendations:
Develop final recommendations on the service format, preferred delivery approach, government role and involvement and implementation strategy.
Popularity: 52% [?]
Feasibility Study Video Series: Part 2 - Market Research
Posted on April 13, 2008
Filed Under Feasibility Study, Analysis & Reports | Leave a Comment
Our second video tutorial is now uploaded. If you want to receive emails to notify of new tutorials, opt in on this page.
Don’t forget to let a comment and tell us what you think - and what you want to see!
Popularity: 48% [?]
Photovoltaic Design for Engineers & Designers: A 3-Day Course on Producing PV Design Documents, Sept 29 - Oct 1, 2008
Posted on April 9, 2008
Filed Under Feasibility Study, Analysis & Reports, General News | Leave a Comment
“Photovoltaic Design for Engineers & Designers: A 3-Day Course on Producing PV Design Documents is an intensive solar workshop for design professionals on the specific skills needed to produce high quality feasibility reports, drawings and specifications for grid-tied PV systems of all sizes. These designs are currently in high demand by architectural design teams, engineering firms, developers, and discerning property owners. This class will refine your skills and help you confidently negotiate through design development, stringent building dept & DSA reviews, the bidding process, and construction administration.“NABCEP approved - this course provides 21 hours of continuing education credits for North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners (NABCEP).”
Workshop presented by High Sun Engineering, San Francisco, California
In order to produce great quality feasibility reports, the writer really needs to understand both the market as well as technical aspects of the business.
It is not often that this information is presented in precisely the manner needed to write directly into feasibility reports. So when I came across this information about workshops for engineers and designers to learn the skills to help them produce good quality feasibility studies - well, I thought I should pass the information on
If anyone should attend the workshop, leave us a comment - let everyone know how it goes!
Popularity: 53% [?]
Feasibility Study Video Series: Part 1 - Overview
Posted on April 6, 2008
Filed Under Feasibility Study, Analysis & Reports | Leave a Comment
People were asking for more information about feasibility studies, so we decided to record some tutorials. Our first video tutorial is finished and is now available for viewing … so go to the Video Tutorials Optin Page and sign up to get the link to the videos area.
When you have finished viewing, come back here and tell us what you think
Popularity: 50% [?]
How can we help you more?
Posted on March 26, 2008
Filed Under Feedback | 6 Comments
Many people are downloading our feasibility analysis matrix and expressing interest in a product that will give them confidence as they go through process of conducting feasibility studies and writing up the report.
We would really like to help them, and so as we consider which direction to take I would like your help.
What do you most need to know about feasibility studies?
Post your suggestions and questions by clicking on the “Leave a comment” link above …
Popularity: 28% [?]
Introduction
Posted on February 26, 2008
Filed Under General News | 1 Comment
Business plans are useful for focus and direction. Small business owners, entrepreneurs, franchisers, franchisees, inventors - all need a clear vision and plan for success. Often the value of a business plan is found as much in the process of planning, as in the finished document.
ReadyPlanning.com™ provides a variety of information about business planning, as well as reviews of products and tools available to simplify the planning process.
Business Modelling
A term that is heard in entrepreneurship circles is “business modelling”. This term is quite appropriate, because it is a verb - an action. When reading information about business planning in its various forms, it is worth keeping this phrase “business modelling” in mind - you are designing your business, shaping it and forming it, until it starts to look like what you want. All the information and tools provided here at ReadyPlanning.com are intended to be used in this fashion - as part of a process of “modelling” your business into success.
Many small business owners are concerned about how to write a business plan? The answer will depend on the purpose of the plan. We outline the purposes and strengths of several different types of business plan, each with different emphasis, used for achieving different purposes.
Writing a business plan becomes much easier when we have an automated tool that takes us bit by bit through the process, and then builds charts and tables from the information we provide. ReadyPlanning.com reviews a number of tools and provides links to a variety of products that help in the business planning process.
In addition to sample business plans or automated tools, some people like to use template files to guide them through the planning process. Some templates simply list the heading and subheadings you should include, others ask relevant questions to answer or give a short explanation of what information to include at each heading - either way, you can be sure that you haven’t forgotten any vital detail if you use a template. ReadyPlanning.com reviews both free and priced templates, so that you know which one will be right for you.
Popularity: 62% [?]